


see me for who I am

by 19irish



Category: One Direction (Band), Penelope (2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drunk Louis, M/M, Penelope AU, Princess Harry, Rich Harry, harry cries a lot, liam and zayn are guard dogs, louis is a big fat liar, not really but a v good feel, smut will come, ugly harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 11:49:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1509431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/19irish/pseuds/19irish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things weren't supposed to be like this; he was supposed to have a normal life. He was supposed to be <em>normal</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	see me for who I am

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: based off a movie and i dont own anything or anyone
> 
> be nice to me im delicate
> 
> NOTE: IM NOT BRITISH IDK BRITISH THINGS IM AMERICAN AND THIS IS LONDON SHUT UP PLS THANKS ENJOY
> 
> also i havent proof read so bare with me

Harry sighs as Liam brings in more papers. Zayn says something about not showing his face right away. Liam agrees and Harry pouts, crossing his arms. "Not my fault they always run!" Liam shakes his head as Zayn explains it's just how people are and Harry needs to slow things down. 

Anne, Harry's mother comes in, "Dear, how were the men this time? Any luck?" She sets down a tray of tea. Harry huffs and marches back to his room, he slams the door a locks it. He sits himself on his bed and looks at the green walls and the swing hanging from the ceiling. Books are scatter around on the floor. He hasn't changed the design of the room since he was six. They had hired a designer to come in. Harry's mother was too nervous about him seeing Harry that she _forgot_ to send Harry into the other room. He has opened Harry's bedroom door to find a pig nosed boy who had smiled at the man who was frozen in shock. "Momma, why is he looking at me like that?" The man had shouted at Anne, saying she had lied to him and this  _animal_ should be sent away at once. Anne was furious and embarrassed and sent him away. Harry had cried later that night, Anne cuddled him in his arms while telling him some people don't like what they don't understand. Harry had never even seen the outside world yet. All he knew is that he needs to find the people that understand.

Things weren't supposed to be like this; he was supposed to have a normal life. He was supposed to be _normal_.

It started in 1914, when a man named Marshall Styles returned from World War I. He greeted his family with his fiance he had met on his way home. The family thought the engagement was embarrassing and too quick. The girl was named Valerie Kinderman. She was rejected form the family because she wasn't high in society. Marshall rejected her too, sending her into the streets. Her mother had heard the news in a letter Valerie had sent right before she was thrown out. Marshall soon married a Liverson, who was the same rank in society. Her mother turned out to be a witch, sending a curse over the family. The curse was that if a Styles and Liverson were to get married to each other again in the future, the first born son would have a nose of a pig.

The Styles' and The Liverson's were scared for dear life, so the families became distant and grew apart. The families didn't bother believing in the curse when Anne and Des met. Anne was a Liverson and Des a Styles. They have a girl, named Gemma. Then later came Harry. Anne was mortified and Des was surprisingly, well, not surprised. The only way the curse will be broken if by someone of Harry's kind. The family assumes that means to marry a true blood, or someone as high in society as them. 

Harry presses his finger against the wrinkles on his nose. Once, when he was little, the town didn't know about Harry's nose. Anne had locked down the house, keeping the same butlers and maids as long as possible. His only friends are Liam and Zayn, children that somehow forced themselves into Harry's life. All he ever does now is interview rich men from behind a two-way mirror. He sits in his bedroom and just when him and his family found the right guy to marry, Harry opens the door to reveal his nose and watch them dash out the door, screaming at his family.

"Harry, open the door." Liam says from the other side. Harry huffs, "Go away! I don't want to try again for a while. They all just run away!" Liam murmurs something to someone, probably Zayn, and shouts through the wood, "Don't you want a normal life? Aren't you tired of hiding from the world?" Harry's faces flushes red in anger. Of course he does. But his family won't let him out of the home, not even in the yard behind the high fence.

"What if there's no one who can see past my nose? What if they keep running away?" Harry sighs when there's no answer. He hears shuffling and quiet voices behind the wood, giving away that they were still there.

"Haz, sometimes people don't like what they don't understand."

...

Liam and Zayn stare at the television as the man in the suit begs Harry to come out of his room into the meeting room. "He seems nice." Liam comments. Zayn shrugs, "They all seem nice at first." Liam rolls his eyes and points to his suit, "Clean cut and designer. His dad run that charity that help pay kids with disabilities go to those private schools or whatever." Zayn nods and listens to the man's kind words towards Harry.

Harry is seated behind the mirror and holds the microphone in his lap. The boy is charming with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. He's quite tall and lanky but so is Harry. "What's your name?" He asks sweetly. The boy smiles as if he could see him. "Charles Presley." Harry giggles and Charles raises an eyebrow, "Is there a problem?" Harry shakes his head even though Charles can't see him.

"Will you come out now?" Charles's voice is sweet and gentle but something just sticks wrong. Something feels fake but no man has ever talked this sweet to him. "We have just met." Charles shrugs, "I don't think you could be as terrible looking as you say you are Mr. Styles." Harry smiles, "Well, my mother did teach me not to lie." Charles laughs and asks him to come out again. Harry rejects it quickly.

"I'd like to know more about you then. If you think you're so terribly ugly then why don't you have surgery? I'm very certain you can afford it with how much your family wants to pay me to marry you." 

Harry sighs and answers easily, "Would be easier to have it removed wouldn't it? I can't though, It has something to do with some medical things. You do very well know I'm cursed right?"

Charles snorts, "Cursed? I thought your mother taught you not to lie." Harry smiles sweetly and pauses for a moment. "You really want to see me?" Charles nods, "I'm sure you're beautiful either way." Harry's heart fills with something he can't decide if it's good or bad. Either way we wants someone to just _love_ him.

Harry sets the microphone down and walks to the door. It's hidden behind a bookshelf in the meeting room. He takes a deep breath and swings it open. Charles turns his head. He has the same look as all the others. Harry's heart sinks when Charles makes a very ugly face. 

"Charles?" Harry's hands are shaking. Charles shoves Harry, shouting about how ugly he is and that he should have known better than to come here. 

"If you want someone to marry this monster, I would raise the price, you idiots!" Harry lets a tear slip down his face. Charles snarls, "Oh get over it. I'm sure you'll find someone equally disturbing to look at."

Zayn rushes in and grips Charles's collar, "I think it's time for you to go." Liam pushes past the two of them to Harry, "You okay, Hazza?" Harry sniffs and shrugs, "He was really nice, Li." Liam sighs and pulls gently on Harry's sleeve to give him a hug. Harry throws himself into his embrace. He presses his face against Liam's gray sweater. He smells of popcorn and cherry soda. 

"There's others out there Harry. I swear I'll find you the right one."

...

He sees him. Charles Presley stomping out the Styles's front door. There's a dark bruise forming under his eye and he's mumbling about something. "Hey! Charles Presley!" He shouts to the boy who turns and frowns. "What the fuck do you want, eh? Another Styles's idiot body guard wanting to punch me in the fucking face?"

He laughs at that, "Quite the opposite. I'm Niall Horan. Reporter from the London Central News. Maybe I ask what exactly you were doing in there?" Charles booms out a snarky, annoying laugh that makes Niall want to punch the boy himself. "What was I doing? I went into that bloody home to meet the 'Lovely Mr. Styles.' Bullshit, I'd say! I go in there, right? And I talk to that idiot and I'm thinking 'He can't be  _that_ ugly right? He says he's cursed and I think it's some kind of joke to make him feel better about himself. No, He comes out and he's  _disgusting_ and  _horrifying_. No wonder he's locked inside that damned house. Bloody thought he was going to tear my head off with the sharp teeth he has. Ugliest fucking pig-nosed animal on this bloody planet."

Niall freezes, "Did you say pig-nosed?" His father had been the only person to be able to get into the locked down-prison like- home that shut it's doors the same day the Style's brought the new born home. The daughter Gemma had left a window open in the first floor. His father climbed into and stunk into the kitchen. Anne must have sensed it or something because as soon as he got into the home she beat him with a wooden spoon. He went blind in on eye, but the strange thing is that he might have seen the new born's face. His mind might have played tricks on him but he swore he saw the pig like feature.

Later the family had a mysterious death of the new born. The family had an even more intense lock down. Niall's father had passed away a few years later. He swore to claim back the good name of his father. He's been tracking the Styles since his father died. He knew something was there but never could get what he needed. Now heres a bitter blue blood with the way in.

"Have you ever thought of helping me catch the Pig-boy?" 

...

"I'm looking for a Nick Grimshaw?" Niall asks. He wouldn't have guessed a blown out blue blood would be here, well, he should have expected it when he heard he was cut off of his family's wealth. He's in a musky worn-down bar. There's a poker game in the back and Niall hopes the man harrassing a young women isn't Grimshaw. He swears to god.

"You twenty one kid?" A scruffy old man with a whiskey sitting on the counter. "I'm not drinking. Just looking for my friend. Ran away from home a few days ago. He usually comes here." The man grunts and points to the poker game. The game must have ended because most of the people are leaving the small corner when he sees him. Hes thin and small and very very greasy. "Nick Grimshaw!" He shouts, throwing an arm around the man's neck. 

Nick laughs, "Can I help you?" He shoves Niall off his should and stumbles out of the bar. Niall is quick to follow. "You're a blue blood, Is that right?" Niack shrugs and looks at him, "If you're looking for money you're out of luck. Just lost it to those bloody idiots." Nick pulls out some cigarettes and eyes the blonde carefully, "Got a lighter?" Niall pulls one out of pocket and tosses it to him. Nick grins a nasty grin and Niall hopes he isn't as disgusting as he seems at the moment.

"Need a favor. You know the Styles' family right?" Nick nods, huffing smoke easily. "The sons died young right? Not even a year I'm sure. Mum whined about it for _weeks_ " Niall nods, "Turns out he's not dead. Hes having this match making thing where only blue bloods go in and he interviews them. You don't get to see his face until he comes out of his room-"

"Why would he hind his face? Is he like ugly to the point people run away screaming? Does that even happen?"

Niall lets out a howl of laughter, "People say he's cursed. My partner was interviewed and saw his nose and just  _flew_  out of that house like he would be dead if the boy even touched him!" Nick looks at him, curiosity stirring in his bright blue eyes, "Partner?" Niall widens his eyes and says, "Sorry about that, I'm Niall Horan, journalist from London Central News. I was hoping you would help us get a photo of the kid? Prove his death was a fake?"

Nick narrows his eyes, he blows smoke out and crosses his arms, "Thought your partner was a blue blood? Couldn't he just go back?" Niall shakes his head, "He'd just get thrown out, you know?" Niall pulls out a wad of cash, which Nick's gaze catches quickly, "See, I think you could help us? For 5,000 dollars maybe?"

...

"Is he coming?" Charles questions,  _again._ Niall swears and answers, "He said he's coming, alright? The thing hasn't even started yet." They sit in the stuffy black van sitting out side the gates of the Styles' home. There's a knock on the back doors and they hear a voice shout, "You in there?" Niall swings the door open to a very greasy Nick Grimshaw. "Shit, Thought you had run off with my money." He and Charles climb out and shake hands with the feather haired boy.

"I had to help my friend close up. Sorry." Nick explains, He seems short considering his father is quite tall and he must not have showered in maybe three days. "How long have you been cut off, hm? Are you homeless or something?" Charles pipes in and Nick looks like he's probably going to punch him if he keeps talking.

"Anyway, here's this jacket. Once you get in there and he comes up all your have to is raise either arm and drop it to take a picture. See," He points to the device under the arm of the black blazer. It used to be his father's but he's glad now that he kept the ratty old thing, "Sorry it's kind of old. But it'll get the job done."

Nick nods and looks towards the large, grey brick house hidden behind the tall black bars with spikes on top. The home looks ancient and Nick looks at the two boys. "You want me to get in there? Do they know I'm coming?" Niall nods quickly, "Of course, so you don't have to marry him or anything just convince him to come out then snap the picture then leave. Got it?" Nick nods as Charles helps him slide on the oversized jacket.

 ...

"I'm, uh, Nick Grimshaw." He tells the two boys holding many files with pictures of other blood bloods in their arms. The caramel skinned boy looks at the other lad and says, "You're late, but uh, just run all up. Everyone is in there waiting." The puppy faced boy made a face at his greasy hair as he climbed up the stairs to a hall with one room. He stumbles in to find some very handsome men.

A man comes up to him and asks his name, "Nick, uh Grimshaw." He says carefully. It feels heavy on his tongue and he looks around at the many book shelves lining the walls. "I'm Eric Benson. Do you think the guy is really cursed?" Eric questions he eyes the mirror and Nick guesses the boy is sitting behind the mirror. "I'm not sure. I bet he is ugly. Obviously why the family is paying people to marry him." Eric nods and walks over to another gentlemen and Louis turns around and stares at the golden horse figure sitting behind the glass. He tries to think of how much it would cost. He hears a shout and feet stomping, as if they are running out of the room. He turns around to a hidden door slamming shut and he is sure it was the boy.

He turns back around and slowly opens the glass door, taking the horse out carefully. He sits on the soft leather couch and runs his finger tips  against the cold gold. 

..

"Harry!" Liam shouts at him when he marches down the stairs. "What?" He questions innocently, he bats his eye lashes as Liam crosses his arms, "What the hell was that? What was the plan there? Scare them away so you can go mope in your room for the day." Harry lets out a frustrated sound and throws his arms up wildly, "Well maybe we should stop then, huh? Since my face will once scare everyone away! Because everyone knows I'm too ugly to like. Might as well raise the price then? No one is obviously going to marry me so-"

"Guys." Zayn interrupts. "Harry that's not even the point. You have to fight things like this. Everyone has to fight for someone to marry. Maybe you have to try harder but that still doesn't matter!" Harry groans loudly again, "I shouldn't have to pay people to consider marrying me! How is that love?" Liam sighs, "Don't you want a normal life?"

 "Shut up!" Zayn shouts, the duo turns to give him a sharp look. "There's one still in there?" Liam asks pointing to the brunette sitting on the leather couch, he's adjusting something in his jacket but none of them seem to care. Zayn rolls his eyes and looks up at Harry, "Well? Are you just going stand there?" Harry's green eyse widen comically and dashes back up the stairs. He runs into his room and turns on the microphone.

"You're still here?" 

The boy looks up to the mirror and furrows his brows, "Should I not be?" Harry grins and answers, "I'm guessing you didn't see me before." The boys shakes his head and looks back down at the figure. "What's your name?" Harry asks carefully, the boys hesitates, opening his mouth then shuts it. "Nick." He nods at that, "Well, Nick, I think if you're going to steal things from this room you should know there are cameras covering every inch of this room. I would steal something from the bathroom, like the sliver vase holding fresh flowers." Nick laughs, setting the animal onto the coffee table. "I'll keep that in mind." 

"Why would you steal if you're rich?" Harry asks after a moment. Nick shrugs, "Dunno, would you put a silver vase in a bathroom with no cameras?" Harry smile sharpens, "Who said there's no cameras?" Nick pretends to be shocked, "I hope you friends down stairs know you watch the wee." Harry laughs even though it wasn't really that funny and he knows he shouldn't already feel attached. "My friends are more concerned finding me a husband than going to the bathroom." Nick doesn't reply, humming softly. 

"Do you have any hobbies?" Harry questions after a moment of silence. Nick grins, "I play some music in a pub down town. My friend's family owns it so I get free drinks." Harry nods, forgetting Nick can't see him. "Have you ever been to a pub?" Harry hums, "What do you think?" He expects Nick is laugh but he stays silent. His cheeks flame brighter and there are times when he's glad the men can't look at him. "Would you ever like to go?" 

Harry blinks, "To a pub?" Nick nods. "I'm not sure. I'm not much of a drinker anyways." He watches the boy eye the horse on the table. Over the years of interviewing men of all kinds he's never seen a blue blood have so much want in his eyes over a small statue. "You can take it if you want." He quietly says. Nick raises his eyebrow, "What?" Harry stands quickly, "Just wait until I'm gone or else they will see you." Nick looks startled as he listens to the stomping of Harry's exaggerated steps. He swings his room door open and slams it loudly. He tip toes back to his spot as he watches the boy gently pick up the gold item. Nick looks into the mirror, staring into it like he could see Harry. He feels his cheeks brighten, he covers his nose. Nick pulls away, turns then leaves. Harry bits his lip and sits back down. Nick jumps back in with a loud, "Ha!" then realizes something, disappointment flows to his face. He turns back again, slower, then walks back out.

"Will you be back tomorrow then?" He calls into the microphone. Nick leans his head in, "I knew it! Yes, I'll be back you wanker." He sets the item on the floor, walking out finally.

...

"Well?" Charles asks when Nick bangs on the van door, "Did you get it?" He watches as Niall and Charles climb out, taking the jacket back. "No, Sorry," Nick grins and Charles cries out a "You bloody animal! You're just taking the piss aren't you?" Niall rolls his eyes and asks why the fuck would he waste all his money. "Didn't see him but-" Charles interupts again, "Didn't see him? Are you mad? All the other's flew out in a matter of minutes. How could you not see that disgusting thing?" Niall hums, crossing his arms. "Oh shut up, Charles."

"I bet you're thinking of marrying him aren't you? Why take 5,000 when you can have 20,000?" Niall looks angry now, too. "If that's the case I'll fucking kill you-"

"I promised to come back tomorrow."

**Author's Note:**

> follow me at 19irish on tumblr!!


End file.
